textproduct: Amarillo

KEY MESSAGES

Issued at 1217 AM CDT Sun Jul 26 2026

- Hot to extreme heat persists through the rest of July. Temperatures may even reach 110 degrees for some locations on Monday.

- Low chances for showers and thunderstorms exist for the northwest Panhandles through the week.

SHORT TERM

(Today through Monday night) Issued at 1217 AM CDT Sun Jul 26 2026

One of the key factors, other than high pressure, that is contributing to our extensive heat wave is poor overnight temperature recovery. It has been talked about previously, but these continued temperatures will exacerbate heat risk leading to an extreme heat risk (4/4) for much of the CWA through the entire short term period. Overnight lows tonight will drop to the upper 60s at best for our northwest zones. Elsewhere, lows will range in the lower to mid 70s. This will allow afternoon temperatures to easily rise above 100 degrees, and the eastern combined Panhandles (alongside Palo Duro Canyon) are favored to experience temperatures and heat index values over 105 degrees. In fact, both ambient temperatures and heat indices may reach up to 109 degrees once again in our northeast zones. This is tentatively just shy of Extreme Heat Warning criteria, but higher confidence for extreme heat is favored tomorrow while temperatures today are more marginal.

Monday morning lows are forecast to be in the lower to upper 70s areawide. Some locations may even stay near 80 degrees all night before temperatures rise again during the day. Hot to extreme temperatures are expected during the afternoon. Currently, the Canadian River Valley, Palo Duro Canyon, and the northeast combined Panhandles all have the potential to meet or exceed 110 degrees. For the rest of the FA, temperatures should have little trouble reaching or rising above 105 degrees. An areawide Heat Advisory is anticipated, but there is still some uncertainty on the extent of +110 degree temperatures for an Extreme Heat Warning. Heat index values are not expected to exceed the actual temperatures tomorrow, due to dewpoints being lower across the region.

Rangel

LONG TERM

(Tuesday through Saturday) Issued at 1217 AM CDT Sun Jul 26 2026

No major changes to note in the extended period. Headlines of impactful and consecutive heat continue as the upper ridge remains strong aloft. Long range models are showing a bit more consistency in the eventual westward movement of the H500 high. However, temperatures are not currently expected to experience a substantial shift for the first week of August. Stronger upper level forcing is required to suppress the ridge, and guidance does not show this occurring any time soon.

In the meantime, hot +100 degree highs continue across much of the CWA for the next 7 days. The hottest days of the week look to occur at the forefront due to the position of the high pressure center being almost directly overhead. Temperatures are forecast to undergo a small downtrend towards the end of the week. High could potentially fall below 100 for many locations on Saturday, as long as temperature trends hold. If the upper high takes longer to transition west, triple digit heat could persist well into August.

Moisture continues to be somewhat lacking in the long term period. Like previous forecasts, northwest flow could eventually allow precipitation to move into the northwest combined Panhandles as convection transitions off the high terrain. PoPs are still limited under this regime, as the placement of the upper high will influence the coverage of showers and storms in our area.

Rangel

AVIATION

(12Z TAFS) Issued at 514 AM CDT Sun Jul 26 2026

VFR conditions at all terminals and across the panhandles for the next 24 hours. Very hot temperatures are present across the panhandles which is leading to increased density altitude at all terminals.

AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

TX...Heat Advisory until 10 PM CDT this evening for TXZ003>005- 008>010-014-015-019-020-317.

OK...Heat Advisory until 10 PM CDT this evening for OKZ002-003.